


This Is Our House

by Jauregui_slaysxo



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-01
Updated: 2015-11-01
Packaged: 2018-04-29 11:11:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5125343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jauregui_slaysxo/pseuds/Jauregui_slaysxo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When AJ Lee retires leaving the WWE Universe behind to start a life with husband CM Punk, Paige finally realizes her feelings for AJ weren't completely platonic. What could she do though? She had been heel for 9 months, Stephanie McMahon continually drags her through the mud, and AJ is officially gone. Or is she?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Return

Paige hated turning heel; It was not a good feeling. The loud, echoing boos she received each time Stars in the Night would ring through the arena signaling her entrance; She hated it. She would slowly make her way down the ramp and to the ring, listening to the “You suck!” and “We want AJ!” chants from the WWE Universe that once adored her. Now every time she entered the arena she would be reminded of her perplex relationship with the recently retired AJ Lee.

For the year and a half that Paige had been apart of the Divas roster, Stephanie McMahon had made it her job to jerk her around like she was the rope in a Tug O’ War match. At first the dark haired Diva really believed that Stephanie had some kind of vendetta against her, but the more she thought about it and really got to know the older woman, the more she believed that Stephanie was really only doing it for business. “Everyone has to play the bad guy for a little while,” Paige remembers the brunette saying the night she informed her she would turn against the Divas Champ at the time, AJ Lee. Paige remembered feeling a little off about the whole thing, she actually liked AJ and fought against the idea before she realized it was futile. That was really the beginning of the confound relationship between the two Divas. 

The idea of actually liking AJ was a total shocker. The two were really complete opposites. Paige, twenty-three years old standing at five foot eight, with black as night hair and a “I'm badass and I know it” attitude. AJ,twenty-eight years old only standing at five foot two, and a happy, bubbly personality that made even the unhappiest person smile. That's why when Paige first met the tiny Diva, she knew she was in a world of trouble. Deep down, she knew that sometime in her career she would have to “play the bad guy” for a little while and she had a feeling it was going to be the older woman that Stephanie made her turn on. Paige wanted to go into the WWE and just do her job, but she didn't expect someone like AJ to interfere with that. 

AJ was retired now though. She was off to start a life with the straight edge superstar, CM Punk. It was six months after AJ made her departure that Paige actually saw her again. Once AJ left, the younger woman hadn't made any attempts to contact the former Divas Champ. She thought maybe it would make her life easier and she could go back to the way she was before she met AJ, but it only created more problems. She constantly thought about the life with AJ that CM Punk was getting to have and it made the dark haired girl behave even more out of character. The jealousy she would feel every time someone in the locker room mentioned the two superstars, was so unusual for Paige. The one time that Natalya had mentioned she and Tyson went on a double date with AJ and Punk three months after AJ had retired, made Paige realize her feelings weren't completely platonic and the jealousy she would feel was actually of CM Punk. Obviously Paige continued to deny the feelings. What could she do anyway? AJ was off trying to get pregnant while Paige was getting her ass handed to her almost every week. Paige couldn't give AJ what she wanted. Paige was still a young, naive British girl that wrestled for a living. Every night she came out into the arena, she told herself to just let it go and stop disappointing Stephanie before she was fired for not winning the matches she was scheduled to win. However, that didn't happen. She would lose week after week all because of AJ Fucking Lee. AJ Lee had been in the back of Paige’s mind for a year and a half, and now that she was gone the feelings were worse than ever. The current situation didn’t help to alleviate them either. After nine months of being heel in the WWE, she wanted a change.  
XXXXXX  
Paige’s theme music filled the arena on the last Monday Night Raw in September as she made her way to the top of the ramp wearing her signature leather with a newly added black hoodie drawn atop her head. She stopped at the top of the ramp, surveying the crowd for a moment.

“Approaching the ring from Norwich, Norfolk, England weighing in at 120 pounds, Paige!” She couldn't make out what some of the signs said but she knew they couldn't be good judging by the resounding boos she received and the fingers some overzealous fans decided to give her. It was time to put her feelings aside and become her character. As she made her way down the ramp, she spread her arms out in a “Here I am” manor and smirked at the fans. As she approached the ring she wasted no time showing off in her usual way. She dove under the first rope and immediately made her way to the turnbuckle, climbing to the second rope. She stood up there watching the lights flash and people scream at her. She smiled once again as she threw her hood off and agitated the crowd even more. 

“This is MY house!” she screamed as she raised her arms. Her theme music slowed as she jumped off the ropes and slipped out of her hoodie. She threw it off to the side, finally acknowledging her opponent in the ring. Natalya. She was surprised Natalya didn't try to attack her before the match started, with Paige being the most hated Diva on the roster right now. She wasn't complaining though, she could do without an unfair start. 

Circling the ring, all the while keeping Natalya in her eyesight, Paige blocked the crowd out as the referee signaled for the match to begin. As soon as she heard the bell, Paige immediately went on the attack. Delivering blow after blow to the shorter woman, she delivered a Russian Leg Sweep, knocking Natalya down to continue her shots. She vaguely heard the referee counting and felt his arm tap her, warning her to let up. She removed herself from the pink haired woman, backing away into the opposite corner, watching her writhe on the mat. The boos became too loud for Paige to ignore anymore. She smiled as she swept her eyes over the crowd before delivering a punt right to the gut of Natalya. She waited a minute before going for another one, but the older woman had something else in mind. As Paige went to deliver another harsh kick, Natalya caught her leg dragging her to the mat. She heard the crowd cheer as Natalya took her turn to deliver hard blows. 

The match went on for another ten minutes, with Natalya dominating the majority of it before she decided she wanted to put Paige out of her misery. However, Paige was scheduled to win this match and she wasn’t losing yet again. As Natalya used the ropes as momentum to deliver a clothesline, Paige quickly reversed it, shoulder checking the shorter woman to the ground. Paige screamed, working the crowd as she finally gained control. She hunched over, holding her ribs as she waited for the older woman to get back on her feet. Once she did, Paige delivered a kick to her ribs, setting her up for the RamPaige. As Natalya’s head was set up under her arm and her legs were wrapped around Paige’s waist, it was all over. 

“My house!” the crowd booed in disappointment once again. 

Delivering her finisher, Paige rolled the now limp Natalya over onto her back and waited for the count. 

“1!”  
“2!”  
“3!” 

Paige was way too happy, but tried her best to stay in character. 

As the bell signaled the end of the match, Paige got to her feet and looked down at her opponent lying motionless on the mat. Her theme music rang through the arena, letting her know she was victorious. 

“And the winner of this match, Paige!”

She had won her first match in weeks, meaning a certain tiny brunette stayed out of her head long enough for her to get the victory. What had changed? Was she possibly starting to realize AJ was never going to be hers and she HAD to try and move on? 

Keeping character as best as she could, Paige jerked her left arm away from the referee as he attempted to raise her hand in victory. Holding her stomach, she gave a cocky grin raising her own arm in victory. Deciding to take it a step further, Paige bent down next to Natalya, shoving her head to the side in a mocking manner. 

“Better luck next time, Nattie,” the dark haired girl chuckled, rising to her feet again. She continued her boasting, heading over to the ropes and slipping through them. She made her way over to the fans by the ramp, cupping her left ear in a mocking gesture. The booing continued. She smiled, watching the reaction. Of course, it wasn't over just yet. Her victory had to come with an unexpected surprise. 

“Now, now English Muffin. I wouldn't get too confident,” she heard the voice of the woman that had been occupying her mind for over a year ring through the arena. This couldn't be happening. This COULD NOT be happening. The crowd immediately did a complete 360 and went crazy for the woman they hadn't seen in over six months. 

Paige slowly turned her head toward the ramp entrance and instantly regretted it. There she was. All five foot two of her in black slacks, a white blouse, and a black blazer to match. Why was she dressed like that? Even in her professional outfit, she still took the breath right out of Paige. She hadn't even noticed her theme music stop and and crowd’s cheers die down as AJ started speaking. 

“Surpriseeeee!” AJ let out a giggle, wrapping a piece of her silky hair around her index finger. The WWE Universe started up again . “Alright, alright guys. I missed you too! As much as I enjoy standing here receiving this amazing welcome, I am here for a reason and I think all of you might want to hear what I have to say.” She paused for a minute, letting it sink in. “Yes that includes you, Paige.”

At the sound of her name, Paige's knees went weak. 

“Oh and Natalya, if you're conscious yet, you might want to listen also.” AJ, giving her signature twisted smile, started happily skipping towards the dark haired Diva who was still in shock. She stopped a few feet in front of Paige, watching as the taller Diva visibly stiffened. She was still smiling as she raised the microphone to her mouth. 

“Remember many months ago when I became the General Manager of Monday Night Raw? When Vickie and I had our little disagreements?” the crowd was so loud it was hard for Paige to hear the brunette even though she was arms length away. She knew this night couldn't be as perfect as she thought it was going to be. Months of trying to get back on her feet and attempting to forget about AJ, had all just gone down the drain. 

“Well, turns out I couldn't stay away from you guys. Yeah I love Punk with all my heart, but we still have time to start a family. I belong in the WWE right now and that's where I'm going to be, acting as the new General Manager for Monday Night Raw once again,” AJ said, talking to the crowd. 

Paige turned her head seeing signs being raised. Some read “CM PUNK” and others said “Marry me!” She couldn't believe she wasn't informed AJ Lee was coming back to WWE. Her mood went from ecstatic, to shocked, and to anger all in the matter of ten minutes. Turning her head back to AJ, she was met with warm, brown eyes twinkling back at her in the bright lights. God she was in so much trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm extremely sorry for the late update. This chapter moves kind of fast, but I just wanted to update since it's been about 3 weeks. The pace will slow in the upcoming chapters. I hope you guys enjoy!

Eight missed calls. Eight missed calls from a number Paige hadn't seen light up her screen in over six months. It hadn't mattered if she had erased her number a while ago, she could still recognize that number even if it were in a field of complicated calculus problems. 

Sitting at a densely populated café on the outskirts of Atlanta, Paige seriously considered “accidentally” dropping her phone in the scorching hot cup of black coffee sitting two feet away from her. She sat there twisting the phone in her hand occasionally letting it hit the wooden table with a dull thud. What was she going to do? AJ had called her eight different times, probably wanting to catch up and explain why she hadn't contacted the dark haired Diva about her return to WWE. Paige was torn. She wanted to check the voicemails left for her, just to confirm that was what AJ really wanted to talk about, but the other part of her really didn't want to hear the tiny brunette’s voice any more than she had to. 

“You okay there young lady?” The sound of a voice that wasn't her own so close to her, shocked the dark haired woman back to reality. She quickly turned her head to the side seeing the gray haired waitress that had previously served her staring down at her with a look of concern covering her wrinkled face. 

“Wha-yeah, yeah everything's good,” Paige reassured the older woman, shaking herself out of her thoughts. 

Paige watched the woman hesitate and then give her a small, sad smile.   
“Who's the fella making you all moody and depressed?” Paige nearly choked on her coffee that she finally decided to taste while the woman was talking. 

“How-”

“Sweetie, I may be old but I've seen a lot in my days. You don't look like that over nothing” Wow this woman was seriously a walking, talking surprise. 

“What gave it away?” Paige asked, curiously. The woman set down the pot of coffee she carried over to ask about a refill, and slid into the seat across from the young woman. This woman had to be at least in her late 50’s. 

“You look like you just found out your puppy died,” the woman said. Paige glanced at her name tag. Phyllis. 

“Alright, Phyllis. You're good, I'll give you that. But I'd rather not talk about it,” Paige said, twirling her index finger around the rim of her large coffee. She heard Phyllis chuckle. 

“Come on, I could use some drama around here. You don't sound like you're from around here, so when you leave this café you'll probably never see my face again, so what's the harm? It might even make you feel better,” the older woman said, giving Paige a warm smile. 

“My name's Saraya, by the way. You can call me Paige though,” the dark haired Diva said sarcastically. “I'm a wrestler. WWE Diva. So yes, you're right I probably won't be back here for a while.” Paige was attempting to take the woman’s attention away from the real questions she wanted answers to. The older woman raised her eyebrows. 

“You wrestle? Like punching people wrestling?” Paige tried to stifle her laugh. 

“Yes. And I'm originally from England. My stage name is Paige.” 

“Okay see we’re getting somewhere,” Phyllis chuckled. “But that's still not the juicy details I want.”

Paige slowly brought the warm cup to her lips, choosing her next words carefully. 

“No can do. I don't, how do you Americans say it, ‘Kiss and tell?’” Phyllis leaned in, pushing her coffee pot out of the way. 

“Smartass.”

“Thanks for the coffee, Phyllis. It was great meeting you, but it's Tuesday which means I have a show to record,”Paige said, scooting her chair out and getting to her feet. She grabbed her leather jacket off the back of her chair and slipped it on, grinning at the waitress across from her. 

“Kids these days. Take care of yourself, Saraya.” Paige stood momentarily, the grin slipping from her face as she watched the woman. If only she knew. 

XXXXXX

“Paige! Paige wait up!” 

The dark haired Diva slowed her stride, recognizing the beautiful voice that infiltrated her mind for months. 

“AJ. Hey.” Could she get any lamer? She grimaced as the tiny Diva stopped in front of her, a little too close for comfort. 

“I've been trying to call you but you didn't answer. I was worried there for a little bit,” AJ said, suddenly finding the hem of her T-Shirt very interesting. The taller woman was still angry at AJ, but the more she thought about it the more she became disappointed that the brunette hadn't contacted her at all about her return. 

“I've been busy. You should be too, being the General Manager and all,” Paige tried to keep the bite out of her voice, failing miserably. 

“Paige I'm sorry. I really am. I know I should have told you, but-”

“But what, AJ?” Paige snapped. She felt her blood pressure rising. She also felt the cold air whip right through her thin, black jacket sending chills down her spine. She was on her way to the building for her match when AJ caught her. The tiny Diva had to have been waiting for her, it was freezing out and AJ’s nose showed signs of abuse from the bitter cold. She wasn’t wearing a jacket, her white blouse being the only thing to protect her. AJ could be really dumb sometimes. 

“Phillip didn't want me to tell you,” AJ let out softly, wrapping her arms around herself. She had said it so softly that Paige wasn't sure she heard her correctly. 

“What?” she asked, adjusting her hat. Nervous habit. 

“Phillip didn't want me to talk to you.” What the hell was going on. 

“AJ, lets go inside. It's freezing and you have no jacket,” Paige said, ushering the smaller woman towards the building. However, AJ didn't budge. 

“No, I want to make sure we’re okay. You were my friend, Paige. I care about you and I owe you an explanation.” AJ lightly shoved the dark haired Diva in the chest, pushing her back. 

“You can give me that explanation inside,” Paige fussed. “Come on.” 

Pushing AJ towards the front doors, they took the short walk in silence. Paige, slipping off her leather jacket, wrapped it around AJ (with protest) as they reached the doors. 

“You're clearly cold, just take it.”

“Paige, I'm really sorry,” the tiny Diva said as they made their way through the arena. 

“I would say I understand, but I really don't. What does your husband have to do with this?” Paige asked, clearly confused. 

“He-like, overreacts and sees things that aren’t really there,” AJ tried to explain. Paige studied her, trying to understand. 

“So Phillip doesn't like me?” Paige gathered. She never liked him to begin with, this was just giving her a reason to say she doesn't like him. 

“It's not that. He just felt- threatened I guess. I don't know, I guess he was jealous of our friendship and he didn't like it when I talked about you,” the former Diva’s Champ said, struggling to find the right words. 

“He's not your father AJ, he can't tell you who to talk to,” Paige said, not really knowing how to respond to that in any other way. If Paige knew that Philip was that kind of person, she would have found the courage to go after AJ months ago. 

The smaller Diva stepped closer to Paige, snuggling more into the younger woman’s warm jacket. They were standing outside the locker rooms, listening to the heat run through the vents. 

“I know. I never understood why he was threatened by you, it's not like you wanted to steal me away from him,” AJ said, meeting the taller woman’s eyes. Paige stared back into those captivating, chocolate eyes starting to wonder why it felt so easy to talk to a woman who hadn't bothered to contact her in months and whom she very much wanted to just pick up and take home. Paige wanted to cry at the words that came out of the tiny woman's mouth. 

“...Right?” Paige let out an awkward cough and tried not to concentrate on the sweet smelling perfume the General Manager was wearing. 

“Right. I should get ready, I have a match with Nikki soon and I need to warm up,” the dark haired Diva said, quickly attempting to end the conversation. 

“Paige, wait. What just happened?” of course she wasn't going to let it go. AJ never left things alone. 

“Nothing. I don't know what else to tell you, AJ. If someone treated me like Phillip treats you, I'd have left them a long time ago. There are people out there who are lined up waiting for a chance with you, you can do much better than Phillip and you know that,” Paige turned, heading inside the Divas locker room. What had she just done? She might have well just screamed at the top of her lungs, “AJ dump your dick of a husband and be with me!” 

As the taller Diva opened her designated locker, she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Her locker slowly closed. Already knowing what was going on, she dropped her hands to her sides staring at the grey steel that was her locker. 

“Saraya. Look at me,” Paige’s insides should have been burning with rage at the sound of her birth name, but they melted when it came from the mouth of that woman. 

“AJ plea-” 

“Look,” was the stern reply. 

She reluctantly turned, looking at the woman who was still wrapped up in her leather jacket. 

“I'm going to ask you this once and only once. If you lie to me, which I will know, I'll make sure your life is a living hell on Raw. Worse than it already is,” AJ threatened. She may be short, but she knows how to be intimidating. 

“Whatever,” Paige sassed, folding her arms across her chest, trying to make it seem as if the threat meant nothing. 

“Was Phillip right?” 

Those three words sunk into Paige’s mind like quicksand. This was it wasn’t it? Now or never?

“Phillip may be a complete dick, but I’m starting to think he's not as dumb as I thought he was,” she watched for a reaction on the smaller woman's face. She didn't immediately get one, which actually worried her. Did she just ruin any type of relationship she could have had with the older woman? Maybe Paige was the dumb one. 

Torn from her thoughts, she felt tiny arms wrap around her neck, pulling her down into a hesitant embrace. Shocked, the taller woman just stood there with her arms at her side, staring at the wall behind AJ’s head. 

“Hug me back...please,” AJ’s soft voice whispered into her neck. What was going on?

Shaking, Paige’s arms finally enclosed the General Manager in a warm hug. 

“What are you doing, AJ?” the British woman asked, holding on to the older woman for dear life. 

She felt AJ’s tiny hands slip away and latch on to her own slightly larger ones, unwrapping them from her waist. She brought their hands together in an attempt to stop the younger woman from shaking. She had never seen Paige so vulnerable and it made her heart hurt. 

“Why did you never say anything?” AJ asked, still holding their hands together. 

“Can we not ta-” 

“How long have you known?” Oh no, what if she had broken AJ? She shouldn't have said anything. What had she been thinking?

“Look short stack, if you really want all these answers, I'll give you as many as I can some other time. I didn't expect this to happen so soon, I'm not ready to talk about it and I really have to get ready,” she felt AJ’s thumb stroke her own and watched her raise her head to meet her dark eyes. 

“But-” 

“But nothing, if Phillip knew you were even talking to me he’d probably have both our heads,” Paige interrupted. 

“I'm the General Manager of Raw, he can't expect me to avoid you forever,” AJ sighed, letting go of the taller woman's hands and running her own over her tired face. 

“We have got to talk about this Paige, one way or another. We’re going to be working together and this can't go untalked about. I can't believe you never said anything,” AJ said, starting to pace in front of the dark haired Diva. Paige snorted. 

“You really think that would have changed anything, AJ? You would still be married to Phillip and you would still be attempting to start a life with him” Paige said, watching the other woman pace. AJ stopped in front of her, looking her dead in the eyes. 

“You don't know that, Paige. It could have changed everything.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Here's the next chapter

In a rare moment in Paige’s life, she was speechless. The only other time she remembered ever not having the words to say something was when she found out she would officially be working under the WWE. She had a feeling that the tiny woman standing in front of her could be causing these speechless episodes much more often. 

“...What?” Could she sound any dumber?

“You don't know what could have happened, Paige. Yes we could very well be in the same situation we are right now,” AJ said, taking off Paige’s jacket. 

“What’s the-”

“Or you could be where Phillip is right now,” AJ interrupted, looking the taller woman in the eyes. Could this woman be any more infuriating? Paige needed to sit down. Finding the nearest bench, the dark haired Diva stumbled over and plopped down on to the cold, wooden seat. Taking off her snapback, she ran a hand through her hair feeling very exposed.  
“What are you- Jesus. What are you saying AJ?” Paige asked, folding her hands in front of her face, trying to contain herself. 

“You're really smart, Saraya. Figure it out,” AJ said in a low voice that terrified the younger woman currently trying not to cry. She watched AJ back towards the doorway, arms folded across her chest. 

“Good luck out there tonight.” 

XxxxxX

“And from Norwich, England weighing in at 121 pounds, Paige!” the self-proclaimed anti-diva made her way to the top of the ramp, taking in all of the negative feedback she received from the Smackdown audience tonight in Atlanta. She hadn't had a match since AJ made her unexpected return 3 weeks ago on Monday Night Raw. The audience was still as lovely as ever. 

With her theme music blaring throughout the arena and her leather hood drawn, the dark haired Diva confidently made her way down the ramp, smirking at the fans in the front row who made their feelings loudly known. She stopped in front of the ring, making eye contact with Nikki Bella who of course had her sister Brie attached to her hip. Nikki, who also had the Divas Championship wrapped around her torso, walked over to Lillian, snatching the microphone from her hand. This segment was going to be good. 

“Cut the music,” the audience cheered as their Divas Champion started speaking. Paige lowered her hood from her head, walking closer to the ring and entering slowly through the second rope cautious to Brie who was shooting daggers through her. 

“Paige...oh Paige. You poor thing,” Nikki cooed, sarcastically. “The WWE Universe can't stand you, you haven’t had a match in weeks, you haven't held this belt in almost a year, and Stephanie is making you this company's bitch.” The audience cheered, loving the bashing the hated Diva was receiving from their champion. Paige smiled, lowering her head. She ushered someone off to the side to give her a microphone, walking towards the ropes. 

“Nikki. Lovely to see you too. How's John? Still hasn't put a ring on it? Not surprising, I wouldn't want to marry trash either,” Paige lowered the mic, while shaking her head and laughing. The mixed reaction from the audience and the anger that washed over Nikki’s face was priceless. The angry woman started towards Paige, but didn't get very far, Brie stepping in her way. 

“What's wrong? Did I hit a nerve?” 

“Night after night I've watched you walk your skanky British ass into this arena and act as if you owned this place. Guess what sweetie, you don't own anything. When's the last time you even won a match?” Paige shook her head. 

“Oh, good one. Original. But I'm back now. I'm not going anywhere and after I beat you tonight I'm coming after that championship next,” Paige said stepping into Nikki’s face. 

“Ladies, hold on,” and there she was. AJ’s voice filtered into the arena, breaking up the staring contest happening in the ring and causing the audience to cheer for the general manager. 

“Calm down, there's no need for hostility. First off, Paige welcome back,” the audience was split. Some of them supporting the anti-diva for AJ and the rest still firmly against her. “Secondly, Nikki I have a proposal for you.” Paige backed up, watching AJ skip towards the ring. She slowed down, walking to the side towards the announce tables. 

“If you're so confident you can beat Paige, why don't you put the Divas Championship on the line?” the audience cheered, clearly supporting the idea. Paige grinned, staring at the small woman she had just seen 3 hours ago. She watched AJ twirl a piece of hair around her index finger, cocking her head to the side and giving a sweet smile to the British Diva in the ring. 

“No, no, no. She doesn't even deserve it,” Nikki yelled in outrage. Paige had been gone 3 weeks and suddenly she was the number one contender for her belt? 

“Come on Nikki, if I can't win a match like you say then what's the harm in putting the championship on the line?” the dark haired Diva said. Brie leaned over, whispering something in her sister’s ear before looking over at Paige. Neither of them looked very happy. 

“Fine. I'll put my Divas Championship on the line right now,” Nikki said, as the crowd cheered. Paige smiled, dropping her mic and removing her leather jacket. 

“However, if you lose, you have to leave WWE forever,” Nikki added. Wait, that wasn't a part of the script. What was Nikki doing?

Paige glanced at AJ and saw a brief look of confusion. She could tell AJ wasn't a part of this one and she struggled to keep character. Picking the mic up, Paige fiddled with it in her hands trying to quickly make a decision. Why couldn't she ever have a peaceful and smooth week?

“Deal,” slipped out before she could even second guess herself. She had a feeling Stephanie was behind this and she wanted to send a message to Hunter’s wife. 

“Good luck, ladies. I'll be staying right here to make sure your shadow doesn’t try to fight your battles for you,”AJ directed towards Nikki before settling into a ringside chair. 

Nikki rolled her eyes as she got rid of her mic and unbuckled her belt from around her waist. Brie slipped under the first rope, working the crowd over for her sister. 

“This match is scheduled for one fall and is for the Divas Championship. The challenger, from Norwich, England she is the self proclaimed anti-diva, Paige!” the audience made their dislike clear as Paige climbed the turnbuckle closest to AJ, irritating the crowd further. She glanced down at the tiny general manager and felt butterflies in her stomach as the woman chewed on her bottom lip, and gave her a warm smile. God, she was so fucked. 

“Next, she is the current Divas Champion, from San Diego, California, Nikki Bella!” Nikki soaked in the audience as she confidently held up her championship. Paige, who had climbed down from the turnbuckle, was leaning against the ropes, her eyes never leaving the belt. Nikki took a deep breath, kissing her belt before handing it over to the referee who held it up for everyone to see. He lowered the belt, handing it to the timekeeper through the ropes, signaling for the bell. 

Paige didn’t even have time to square up against the shorter woman before she went on the attack. Throwing hard punches, Paige had no choice but to throw her hands up in defense and wait for the referee’s count. She felt the referee pulling back Nikki, giving her an opportunity to deliver a blow to the champion’s stomach. Using her left shoulder, the dark haired woman drove Nikki into the corner , using her shoulder to deliver hits to her torso. Nikki doubled over, clutching her targeted stomach. Paige backed up, preparing to spear the Divas Champ into the turnbuckle. However, Nikki saw her coming and was able to move out of the way, sending Paige shoulder first into the steel pole. She screamed in agony, resting on the second rope. 

“Come on, Paige. Is that all you've got?” and the trash talking began. Taking advantage of the situation, Nikki brought the British woman to her back, waiting for the referee's count. 

“1!”

“2!” 

He wasn't able to get to 3 before Paige forcibly kicked out. 

“You got this Nikki!” Paige heard Brie’s annoying voice filter through her ears. Her shoulder was messed up was too early in the match. 

Getting to her feet, she allowed Nikki to sling her against the ropes before using her uninjured shoulder to knock her to the ground. While she had Nikki on the ground, she delivered an elbow to the face before capturing her in a headlock. She felt the shorter woman struggle against her before reaching out her hand towards the rope. Paige knocked her arm away, jerking the woman’s head to the side. 

Feeding off of the crowd, Paige kept her in a headlock for a few more moments before Nikki was able to slowly get to her feet, delivering elbows to the taller woman's stomach forcing her to release her hold. 

“Let's go Nikki!” the crowd started a chant. 

“Let's go Nikki!” Nikki shoved the other diva away before using her momentum to deliver a quick hurricanrana. As Paige returned to her feet, Nikki gave her a dropkick that sent her right back to the mat. 

Quickly rolling under the ropes and onto the floor, Paige got to her feet and stood in front of AJ who had a look of concern etched across her face. 

“Paige, watch out,” AJ tried to warn her before a body was thrown in between the ropes and sent her into AJ, knocking them to the floor. 

“This is my house!” Nikki mocked the British Diva to the audience. 

Paige had taken most of the fall. She was quickly able to push AJ out of the way of the chair she had been sitting in, causing her to land face first into cold steel. She rolled over, to see AJ had already gotten to her feet and was standing over her in concern. 

“Paige, are you okay?” 

“Move, AJ. Before she comes back,” was all Paige said before she shoved the tiny woman to the side and struggled to her feet. She felt a tiny hand rest on her torso and another one stroke her face. 

What was she doing? They were in front of thousands of people and AJ’s husband was probably fuming in front of the TV screen right now. 

“Go win this match, Paige. Go win, English Muffin and I promise you I'll make your win worth it,” AJ whispered, the smell of her perfume making the taller woman dizzy. Paige was sweating, and still trying to catch her breath. She stared at AJ as she felt her hand lightly shove her backwards towards the ring. What the hell just happened?

The audience had watched the exchange in awe, a few cat calls being heard. Oh God, AJ had probably just started a new storyline idea. 

Paige saw Nikki out of the corner of her eye ready to attack again. She quickly slid into the ring, playing a sort of cat and mouse game with the champion. Nikki followed, but Paige lifted her leg at the last moment and delivered a hard kick right to the shorter woman's jaw. Before Nikki had time to fall to the mat, Paige quickly capitalized and set her up for the Rampaige. 

“This is MY house!” Paige screamed, driving Nikki’s head into the mat. Brie was on the outside, practically in tears knowing that her sister had lost. Smiling, Paige rolled the champion over and waited for the count. 

“1!”

“2!” 

“3!” 

The audience erupted into a mixture of boos and cheers, which was actually the best reaction Paige had gotten in months. She quickly got to her feet, bending over in shock. She had won. She was staying in the WWE. She was a 3 time Divas Champion. 

Paige felt the belt being pressed into her hands and tiny arms being flung around her neck. She would have bet money to say that the audience was loving this sudden display of affection between two divas that had never really gotten along in the ring. It was a night full of surprises. 

Paige wrapped the General Manager up in her arms and spun her around, the belt still in her left hand. 

“You did it!” AJ yelled in excitement, jumping up and down. In the heat of the moment, she pressed a quick kiss to the corner of the British woman's mouth, leaving Paige’s face to heat up. AJ, not even realizing what she had done, stood beside the new champion, raising her hand in victory. Paige wasn't worried about the championship anymore. Her eyes were glued to the side of AJ’s head, all smiles gone. 

Paige, not really thinking anymore, lowered her hand, yanking AJ into her body. AJ squealed in surprise, her hands coming to rest lightly on the taller woman's chest. The crowd had died down, watching the exchange. Their faces were inches apart. 

“It's taking everything in me right now not to kiss the fuck out of you, so don't ever do that again,” Paige said in a low tone that made AJ’s knees weak. God, her eyes. 

She watched AJ’s eyes lower down to her lips, and back up again. She reluctantly let go of AJ, holding up her belt behind the General manager's head, hearing the audience’s excitement ring throughout the arena. It was going to be one hell of a week.


	4. Fallout

The stupid fucking phone. Why did she even have the thing? It was currently ringing off the hook at...8:36am. Paige groaned, turning her head to bury it in the hotel room’s pillow. Maybe if she pushed the pillow a little bit harder against her face-

The goddamn phone. Pulling herself out of her thoughts, the grumpy diva rolled over, slamming her hand down against the phone sending it flying off the end table. At least it stopped ringing. 

As she lay on her aching back, she thought of who in their right mind would be calling her at 8:30 in the morning. Everyone who knew Paige knew not to wake her up before 11 on a weekend. 

The dark haired woman stretched, groaning as her back cracked and her long arms maneuvered above her messy hair. It was a Saturday morning, four days after the British woman had won her third Divas Championship and Paige was spending her weekend in a Chicago hotel while she waited for monday night’s show. 

Yes, lovely Chicago. Unfortunately the hometown and current home of CM Punk. And AJ. She had talked to AJ only one time after the encounter in the ring on Monday night and it was only about Paige’s next match, which was a rematch for the Divas Championship. They didn’t talk about the fact that the British woman had almost kissed AJ in front of thousands of people. AJ especially didn't talk about the fact that her husband was pretty furious at the encounter. 

Rolling over and sitting up, the dark haired Diva ran her hand through her messy hair and sighed. The annoying ringing started up again. 

Trudging over to her iPhone, she bent over and picked it up. Caller ID said Brie Bella. Confused, Paige finally answered. 

“Thank God, Paige why the hell haven't you answered your phone?” Brie’s exasperated voice rang through. 

“Let's see. It's 8:30 on a Saturday morning and some people like to sleep,” Paige said sarcastically. 

“I've been trying to reach you for half an hour, if this situation were life threatening I would have already been dead,” the older woman said. Paige chuckled. 

“If your reasoning for calling me was life threatening, wouldn't you be calling 911 instead of me?” Paige teased. She heard Brie groan. 

“Whatever. Seriously though, we have a problem,” Brie said. 

“What now, is Daniel not sharing the blankets?” Messing with Brie was too easy. 

“More like AJ,” she heard Brie mumble. 

“What did you say?” The line was dead silent for a moment. 

“AJ’s in my hotel room. She's sleeping right now, but she was pretty upset earlier,” Brie said. What the hell was going on now?

“Why didn't you just walk up here instead of calling me 20 times? Your room is a floor below mine” Paige said, deflecting the comment. 

“I didn't want to leave her alone in case she woke up to find an empty room,” Brie explained. 

“Where's Daniel?” Paige asked. 

“He probably went out to a gym somewhere or something, he said he’d leave us alone and to call if we needed anything,” Brie answered. Paige heard some kind of movement in the background. 

“Well what do you want me to do, Brie? What's wrong?” she finally asked. 

“Well, she's awake now. But her and Punk had a pretty big fight and she didn't have anywhere to go so she came here,” Brie said. She was starting to whisper now. “She knocked on my door this morning around 6:30, which means she probably spent the majority of the night fighting with him.” 

“Right. She didn't have anywhere to go,” Paige said in annoyance. 

“Paige-”

“Why did you call me? She obviously doesn't want my help so there's nothing I can do,” Paige interrupted. She plopped back down on her bed. 

“Paige don't. She didn't come to you because she doesn't want to keep bothering you with her marriage problems. You and I both know she would have loved nothing more than to crawl into your bed and cry on your shoulder,” Brie said, her voice slightly rising in aggravation. 

“How-”

“I'm not blind, Paige. And neither is the rest of the world. Everyone knows you two have more chemistry than anyone else,” Brie said. Paige started rubbing her temple with her free hand.   
“What do you want me to do?” Paige asked, again. 

“I want you to get dressed, come down here and get your girl,” Brie answered. “I'll call Daniel to see where he's at and I'll go do whatever he's doing while you two talk.” 

Paige didn't answer right away. She was thinking about all of the possible options. She could just say no, after all AJ did come to Brie and not her. Or she could just go down there and help AJ out, who she knew was in a large amount of distress. Of course Paige was going to pick option two. She had no choice. 

“I'll be down in 10.” 

XxxxxX

Knocking on Brie’s door at 9:00am, knowing who was inside, made Paige’s heart race. She didn't want to be here, but at the same time she did. She didn't want to hear about AJ’s marriage problems, knowing full well that she wasn't the one married to the beautiful woman, but she also wanted to be there for her. 

The door opened on the second time Paige went to knock, revealing a sleep deprived looking Bella twin. 

“You couldn't have put on a little more clothing, Paige?” The British woman looked down at herself. She was wearing her usual black tank top, black skinny jeans, and a snapback. 

“What's wrong with my clothes?” she asked, confused. 

“Your boobs- nevermind,” Brie said, shaking her head. “Get in here, she's in the bathroom right now.” 

“Does she know I'm here?” Paige asked, walking into the bedroom. She laid herself across Brie’s now made bed and sighed. 

“Yes. I assume she's in there making herself presentable,” Brie said, grabbing her keys. 

“AJ! I'm gonna head out, Paige is here and you have my number, so call if she gets on your nerves!” Brie yelled into the bathroom. Paige rolled her eyes. 

At that moment, the bathroom door opened and AJ walked out with her arms folded loosely around her. She ignored Brie and stared at Paige, who had sat up when the door opened. Paige’s smirk had faded as she stared back. Brie awkwardly watched the exchange, deciding to grab her coat. Just as she turned back to say bye, she saw AJ rush over to the British woman and envelop her in a tight hug. She watched Paige wrap her arms around AJ’s tiny waist and briefly nuzzle her neck. She met Paige’s eyes over AJ’s shoulder, giving a sad smile and nodding towards the door. Paige gave her a brief thumbs up, before returning her attention to the woman in her arms. 

As the door closed, AJ pulled back, her eyes slightly watery. She went to sit down next to the taller woman, her arm brushing against Paige’s. It was silent for a moment as Paige watched AJ pick at her nails. She grabbed her hand to stop the picking and interlaced their fingers. She saw AJ look at their hands and watched a wave of sadness flow over her. She turned her head to the side, and started crying softly. 

“Phillip and I are done,” she choked out, covering her face with her free hand. Paige briefly lost her breath, the air rushing from her lungs. Still keeping their fingers interlocked, Paige wrapped her arms around the general manager and kissed the top of her head. 

“Wanna tell me what happened?” she said against the shorter woman's head. She heard AJ sniffle and pulled up the bottom of her shirt, offering it to her as a tissue in a playful manner. She felt AJ give a watery laugh while pushing her hand away. 

“I ended things with him because I realized how much of a mistake it was to marry him. I spent a year of my life thinking that man was the one I wanted to start a family with and grow old together with, when what I really wanted was in front of me the whole time. Who was really good for me was in that ring with me almost every night, and I didn't even know they wanted anything to do with me,” AJ said. She still had her head resting on the British woman's shoulder. 

“What did he do to make you so sad?” Paige asked, trying not to cry. She couldn't believe this was happening. 

“Besides the usual threats and such, I'm mainly upset at myself that I wasted a year building a relationship with someone I never really loved instead of being with someone I knew would treat me right and who already loved me,” AJ wiped her eyes and lifted her head. This was way too good to be true. 

“AJ, please don’t do anything you'll regret. You're upset right now because you just decided to leave your husband, your emotions are running high, and-” 

“No, Saraya. I made the biggest mistake of my life marrying that man. I do love him, but I'm not in love with him,” AJ said meeting Paige’s eyes. “I would much rather start over with the person that I know is right for me.” AJ wiped a tear that had managed to slip from the taller woman's eye and watched her jaw clench, trying to fight back the tears. 

“I'm not making a mistake like that again. I'm almost 30 years old, it's time for me to try and settle down with the right person,” AJ added. 

“When are you getting the divorce papers?” Paige asked, grabbing AJ’s hands. 

“As soon as possible. Probably tomorrow,” She answered. 

“So no kissing you until those are signed,” Paige said, starting to stand. 

“Wait...what?” AJ asked, confused. Paige stopped. “You thought I was talking about you?” Paige felt her heart break all over again. 

“I-” 

“Relax, English Muffin. I'm just kidding,” AJ smiled shyly. She grabbed Paige’s shaking hand and pulled her back down. 

“That really wasn't funny,” Paige said, crossing her arms. 

“Why can't you kiss me?” AJ asked, changing the subject. She leaned over to plant a soft kiss on the taller woman's cheek. 

“I may not like Phillip, but you're still married and I'm not going to be the other woman. I don't want you to be a cheater,” Paige explained, feeling her face heat from the kiss. AJ sighed. 

“One kiss? If you don't have enough balls to do it, I will. I'm not with Phillip anymore. Just because a paper legally says we are means nothing to me anymore,” AJ said, wrapping her arms around Paige’s neck. 

“Did you just say ‘If I don't have the balls’ to kiss you? Americans,” Paige grumbled, cupping AJ’s face in her hands. 

“Do it. Kiss me,” AJ urged, eyes flickering to her lips and back. Paige smirked. 

“Do you always beg?” Paige asked, teasing the shorter woman. 

“Do you always talk so much?” AJ shot back. 

Paige watched AJ fully straddle her lap, her arms still encircling her neck. 

“How can your mood go from bawling your eyes out to sexy in the matter of half an hour?” Paige asked, getting nervous at the closeness of the other woman. 

AJ, who had enough, attempted to close the distance and plant one on the younger woman. However, Paige turned her head at the last second, causing AJ’s lips to meet her cheek again. AJ groaned, sliding her hands down the dark haired woman's chest and rested her lips on her neck. 

“Paigeeeee,” AJ whined. 

“No happening, cutie. Our first kiss is not happening in Brie Bella’s hotel room while you're married to Phillip. I'm doing this the right way,” Paige said pulling back. She lifted a pouting AJ and set her back on the bed. 

“You're such a gentle...lady,” AJ said, crossing her arms. 

“Oh I'm sorry, would you like me to fuck your brains out on this bed and then leave as soon as I'm done with you?” Paige asked, fixing her snapback. 

“British people.” 

“You'll get your happy ending. It's called courting, munchkin,” Paige said. “I'm gonna call Brie and tell her she can have her room back.”

Maybe getting up at 8:30am on a Saturday morning wasn't so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! I am continuing this story, but school is getting in the way right now so I'll continue to try and update as soon as possible.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you guys think! Hope it isn't too bad. I'm in love with the idea of AJ Lee and Paige as a couple and there definitely isn't enough fanfiction for them, so I decided to give it a go. If you guys like it, there will be more chapters and they'll continue to get longer :)


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